Packaging machine



Filed May 13. 1960 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INV EN TOR. 5549/7 h/ \sdumsxb d e B Y A TTOR/VE Y 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. W. SAUMSIEGLE PACKAGING MACHINE Aug. 25, 1964 Filed May 15, 1960 INVENTOR.

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I i ll 1 I l [NV EN TOR. Rage/f fl/javms/bg/e BY A T TO/{NE Y Aug. 25, 1964 R. w. SAUMSIEGLE PACKAGING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 13, 1960 INVEN TOR. fi er7 xszfd lljl eg BY xmwdim A T TOQNE Y Aug. 25, 1964 R. w. SAUMSIEGLE 3,145,517

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 13, 1960 9 sheets'sheet 6 INVENTOR. fierf jqumslga/ BYFWGZMM A T TOQNE Y 25, 1964 R. w. SAUMSIEGLE 3,145,517

PACKAGING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed May 13. 1960 INVEN TOR. fiaerf 14/ saums/eg/e BY mme czmm Aug. 25, 1964 R. w. SAUMSIEGLE PACKAGING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 13. 1960 why INV EN TOR.

Aug. 25, 1964 R. w. SAUMSIEGLE PACKAGING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed May 13. 1960 0 \l. \h! m N. 0E Q W 4 mm Em Qmm FIILI M 8 wmm m mum IN VEN TOR. 4:927 150v)? 5/6? A 7 TURN/E Y United States Patent 3,145,517 PACKAGING MACHINE Robert W. Saumsiegle, Lexington, Mass, assignor to ineumatic Scale Corporation, Limited, Quincy, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 13, 196i), Ser. No. 2%,997 13 Claims. (Cl. 53-190) This invention relates to a packaging machine.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved packaging machine particularly adapted for inserting an article into a fiat envelope type bag in a simple, rapid and efficient manner.

With this general object in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the packaging machine and in the various structures, arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation partly in cross section of a packaging machine embodying the present invention;

FIG. 1a is a cross sectional detail view to be referred to;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the packaging machine showing the upper portion of the machine;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the machine with the upper portion removed and showing the driving mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a plan view detail showing the article being inserted into the bag;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view similar to FIG. 4 showing the carrier retracted and the filled bag advanced by the spreader arm unit to a position above the discharge belts;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 88 of FIG. 7 showing the bag lowered onto the discharge belts;

FIG. 9 is a plan view similar to FIG. 6 showing a different manner of advancing the filled bag to a position above the discharge belts;

FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating a modified form of the carrier mechanism and manner of inserting the article and advancing the filled bag to a position above the discharge belts;

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 11 11 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 12-- 12 of FIG. 11.

In general the present invention contemplates a novel packaging machine particularly adapted for inserting articles into fiat envelope type bags and for discharging successive filled bags onto a conveyor for delivery to a subsequent machine for trimming and sealing the mouths of the filled bags. The illustrated machine is adapted to insert articles of merchandise into fiat bags of relatively thin, transparent sheet plastic material, such as polyethylene sheet material, and the articles or" merchandise to be packaged may comprise articles of either a flexible or resilient character and having considerable thickness, such as folded articles of wearing apparel, a stack of paper napkins or the like, or may comprise articles of a more rigid material.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention a stack of fiat plastic bags is supported in a magazine having an opening in the bottom wall thereof, and provision is made for first opening the mouth of the lowermost bag and then inserting a movable spreader arm unit comprising a pair of opposed mouth spreading and article guiding arms into the open mouth of the bag to eifect expansion of the bag and withdrawal of the lowermost bag in the stack through 3,145,517 Patented Aug. 25, 1964 the opening in the bottom wall to a plane below the magazine. The spreader arms engage the inner longitudinal edges of the bag and are arranged to support the bag with the mouth of the bag spread open in condition to receive the article to be packaged. The article is placed on a reciprocable carrier movable into and out of the bag, the spreader arms being shaped to guide the article and the carrier into the bag.

In one embodiment of the invention the article is inserted by the carrier to its fully seated position in the bag with the article retained between the spreader arms, and upon retraction of the carrier the filled bag is supported advanced by the movable spreader arm unit into a position above the discharge conveyer. Thereafter, provision is made for retaining the bag in its advanced position during withdrawal of the spreader arms whereupon the filled bag is lowered onto the conveyer to be discharged.

In another embodiment of the invention the article is inserted by the carrier to a fully seated position in the bag and beyond the ends of the spreader arms, and upon retraction of the carrier the tilled bag is likewise advanced by the movable spreader arm unit to a position above the conveyer. Provision is then made for rocking the spreader arms out of the bag and retracting the same to leave the filled bag in its advanced position whereupon the bag is lowered onto the discharge conveyer.

In a still further embodiment of the invention the spreader arm unit is stationary, and the carrier may be moved to insert the article in the bag and to continue its movement to strip the bag from the stationary spreader arms and to deposit the filled bag in a position above the conveyer. Provision is also made for retaining the bag in its advanced position during withdrawal of the carrier whereupon the bag is lowered onto the conveyer to be discharged.

Referring now to the drawings, Ill represents a stack of fiat envelope type plastic bags supported in a stationary magazine 12; which is secured to a cross bar 14 attached to and vertically adjustable on rods 16 mounted on the frame of the machine. The magazine is provided with side walls 18 and a bottom wall 2% having an opening 21 therein through which successive lowermost bags are withdrawn.

The mouth portion of each bag is provided with a fiap portion 22 extended beyond the opposing edge 23 of the mouth portion of the bag as shown. The opening 21 in the bottom wall of the magazine is of a size such that the marginal portions of the bottom Wall 26 about the opening 21 are arranged to support a sufficient area of the marginal portions of the bag, including the flap portion 22, so as to retain the stack in the magazine. The bags are supported in the magazine with the flap portion 22 uppermost in a manner such that the opposing and underlying edge 23 of the bag is exposed through the opening 21. A pair of weighted transverse bars 24 are provided to bear against the top of the stack 10 to maintain successive lowermost bags in positive engagement with the bottom wall of the magazine preparatory to being withdrawn therefrom. The weighted bars are provided with slotted openings and may be mounted on upright guide rods 26 extended through the openings. The guide rods are secured to and extended from the bottom wall Zil of the magazine.

'Provision is made for pneumatically opening the mouth portion of the lowermost bag by directing a stream of air against the exposed edge 23 of the bag to cause such edge to separate from the upper wall of the bag and to bow downwardly below the plane of the bottom wall of the magazine, as shown in FIG. 1, an amount sufiicient to permit insertion of a pair of opposed pivotally mounted spreader and guide arms 25 into the open month. As herein illustrated, the pneumatically operated opening .5 means includes a blower 28 supported on the cross bar 14 and provided with an air discharge portion 30 arranged to direct the air against the exposed edge 23 of the lowermost bag to effect opening of the mouth portion and extension of the underlying wall of the bag through the opening and below the plane of the bottom wall 20. The blower 28 may be continuously operated, and suitable control means, such as a cyclically operated air venting flap indicated at 29, may be provided for reducing the force of the air stream toward the bag mouth after the same has been opened. As herein shown, the air vent flap 29 may be hinged to a side Wall of the air discharge portion of the blower having an opening therein and may be connected by a link 31 to the armature 33 of a solenoid 37 supported by an angle bracket 39 attached to the cross bar 14. The solenoid may be included in a circuit arranged to be closed by a cam switch to effect opening of the vent after the bag is opened and to again open the circuit to effect closing the vent prior to the next cycle of operation.

As herein illustrated, the opposed spreader arms 25 comprise elongated tapering fingers in plan and are U- shaped in cross section. The open ends of the opposed U-shaped arms are arranged in facing relation when the arms are inserted into the bag so as to form a guide or track for the article to be packaged, the distance between the legs of the U being substantially equal to the height or thickness of the article. The arms are secured at their outer or wider ends to slotted arms 27 adjustably secured to the upper threaded ends of pivot studs 32 by knurled units 19. The slotted arms 27 are arranged at an angle to the spreader arms 25, and the arms 27 are normally retained in a parallel, longitudinally extended position, as shown in FIG. 2, to present opposed spreader arms 25 in a substantially transverse or slightly inward rocked position. In operation the pivot studs 32 are rotated to rock the arms 25 into the open bag mouth to assume a parallel position as shown in FIG. 4.

The pivot studs 32 are supported for rotation in slide blocks 34 forming part of a spreader arm slide unit 4-1 mounted for reciprocation on spaced rods 36 extended longitudinally of and secured to the machine frame. The slide blocks 34 are connected together at their lower ends by a transverse plate 35. The lower end of each pivot stud has secured thereto a bell crank, one arm 38 of which is provided with a cam roll 40 for cooperation with a stationary cam piece 42 supported in the machine frame. The other arm 44 of each bell crank is connected by elongated link rods 46, the other ends of which extend through openings in brackets 48 secured to and depending from a transverse plate 52 connecting a second pair of slide blocks 50 forming a part of the carrier slide unit 51 which is also mounted for reciprocation on the spaced rods 36. The ends of the rods 46 which extend through the openings are threaded, and adjustable collars 54 placed over the extended ends of the rods engage the brackets 48 when the carrier blocks are retracted and are retained on the rods by nuts 56. Springs 58 connected between spring studs 60 carried by the blocks 59 and spring studs 62 carried by the rods 46 are arranged to rock the spreader arms 25 outwardly to open the bag when the rods 46 are released by forward movement of the carrier slide unit 51. Since the bell crank requires but a relatively short throw to effect rocking of the spreader arms, and the reciprocatory movement of the spreader arm unit 41 is relatively short as compared to the movement of the carrier unit 51, a pair of stop arms 53 are provided for engaging the collars 54 during the forward stroke of the carrier unit. As herein shown, the stop arms 53 are attached to and extended from the frame and are provided with openings through which the link rods 46 may slide. The openings in the brackets 48 may be slotted laterally, as shown in FIG. 12, to permit the brackets to straddle the stop arms and to pass beyond the same during the forward movement of the carrier unit while the forward movement of the rods 46 is terminated by engagement of the collars 54 with the stop arms. During the retracting stroke of the carrier unit the brackets 48 will again engage the collars 54 to retract the rods 46 and effect rocking of the spreader arms inwardly.

As herein illustrated, the carrier comprises an elongated plate 64 having a downwardly offset forward portion 66 providing a tray having a rear wall 67 formed by the offset. The tray is arranged to receive an article 15 to be inserted into a bag with the rear edge of the article placed against the rear Wall 67. The carrier is provided at its rear portion with an angle bracket 68 supported for vertical adjustment in a second angle bracket 70 mounted on and movable with the transverse plate 52 connecting the carrier slide blocks 50.

Provision is made for reciprocating the carrier slide unit 51 and, as herein shown, a crank arm 72 fast on a shaft 74- is connected by a link 76 to a lever 78 pivoted at 80 in a bracket 82 secured to the machine frame. The upper end of the lever is connected by a link 84 to a bracket 86 secured to and depending from the underside of the transverse plate 52.

As illustrated in PEG. 3, the shaft 74 is arranged to be rotated through driving means including an electric motor 88 provided with a speed reducing unit 90, the output shaft of which is connected to a continuously rotated drive shaft 89 by a belt and pulley drive indicated at 92 and which forms part of a variable speed drive arranged to be adjusted by a handle 94. A conventional magnetic clutch and brake unit indicated generally at 96 is provided with a driving member carried by the shaft 89, and a driven member carried by the shaft 74 is arranged to effect rotation of the crank arm through one cycle of rotation. The magnetic clutch and brake unit form part of an electric control circuit arranged to be closed by a microswitch 98 carried by a supporting bracket 100 adjustably mounted on the platen of the machine frame. The switch 98 is supported adjacent the tray 66 and, as

7 shown in FIG. 2, the switch arm 102 extends through an opening in a stop plate 104 secured to the bracket 100. In operation when an article 15 is manually or otherwise placed on the tray portion 66 the switch arm 102 is depressed to close the switch 98 whereby the magnetic clutch unit 96 is energized to initiate a one-revolution cycle of the drive shaft 74. A one-revolution limit switch 102, also included in the electric control circuit, is arranged to be closed by a cam 103 fast on the shaft 74 to deenergize the magnetic clutch unit 96 and effect application of the brake to automatically bring the shaft to rest at the end of one revolution.

In operation when a cycle of rotation is initiated the carrier unit 51 is moved forwardly, and during its initial movement the link rods 46 are released to be moved forwardly by the springs 58 and to rock the pivot stud bell cranks in a direction to insert the arms 25 into the pneumatically opened mouth of the bag in engagement with the longitudinal edges thereof to open the bag mouth and expand the bag preparatory to receiving the article. Upon continued movement of the carrier unit 51 the tray portion 66 with the article is inserted between the opposed U-shaped guide portions of the spreader arms. As illustrated herein, the entrance portion of each spreader arm 25 is defined by a flared portion 106 to receive and guide the article into the U-shaped portions. The carrier unit 51 continues its movement until the article is fully seated in the bag, as illustrated in FIG. 4, and thereafter the carrier unit is started on its retracting stroke to leave the bag supported by the spreader arms 25. It will be understood that the mouth of the bag is first opened sufficiently to permit entrance of the spreader arms by a stream of air directed against the exposed edge 23 of the bag, as shown in FIG. 1a, and the spreading of the arms expands the bag to. withdraw the remainder of the forward portion of the lowermost bag from the stack. Thereafter, when the carrier with its article enters the bag to fully seat the article in the bottom portion, the remainder of the bag is withdrawn from the magazine through the opening 21 in the bottom wall thereof.

Substantially simultaneously with the retraction of the carrier slide unit 51, provision is made for moving the spreader arm slide unit 41 forwardly to advance the bag carried thereby onto a plurality of spaced elongated parallel angle supporting members 108 which are arranged to support the filled bag above a discharge conveyer 110 during retraction of the spreader arm slide unit. As herein shown, the spreader arm slide unit 41 is reciprocated by a cam 112 fast on the shaft 74 and which cooperates with a roller 114 carried by a lever 116 pivoted at 118 in the bracket 82. A spring 115 connected between the lever 116 and the frame is provided to hold the roller 114 against its cam. The upper end of the lever 116 is connected by a link 1119 to a bracket 126 secured to and depending from the transverse connecting plate 35.

Provision is made for retaining the filled bag in its advanced position above the conveyer 110 during retraction of the spreader arm slide unit 41 and, as herein shown, a pair of leaf spring fingers 124 fast on a rocket shaft 126 are arranged to be rocked downwardly to engage the bag during retraction of the spreader arm unit. The rocker shaft 126 is supported in spaced bearing members 123 connected to the side walls 18 of the magazine and is arranged to be rocked through connections from the spreader arm unit which include an arm 13% fast on the rocker shaft connected by a link 132 to an arm 134 fast on a shaft 136 supported in a bracket 138 secured to the machine frame. A second arm 140 fast on the shaft 136 is connected by two links 142, 144 to a bracket 146 secured to and depending from the connecting plate 35 of the spreader arm slide unit 41. A dead-centerspring 148 connected between the end of the arm 134 and the outer end of the bracket 13S tends to hold the linkage and the retaining fingers 124 in the position to which it is moved. The links 142, 14 i comprise a lost motion linkage arranged to yield at its pivotal connection 159 when the spreader arm unit is started forward and to effect rocking of the linkage as the spreader arm unit approaches the end of its forward stroke to rock the retaining fingers 12 from their inoperative position, as shown in FIG. 1, to a position against the topof the filled bag as shown in FIG. 7. The spring 148 is thus moved to the other side of the center line of the shaft 136 to retain the linkage in its operative bag retaining position during the retracting movement of the spreader arm unit and until the lost motion linkage is extended as it approaches the end of the stroke to again effect rocking of the bag retaining linkage to its inoperative position as shown in FIG. 1. Meanwhile, the carrier slide unit 51, as it approaches the end of its retracting stroke, engages the collars 54 to retract the link rods 46 and effect rocking of the spreader arms 25 outwardly to their initial position as shown in FIG. 2. It will be observed that each cam roll 40 engages a transverse surface of its cam piece 42 when the spreader arms are in their retracted position and is arranged to follow a longitudinal surface of its respective cam piece 42 during its forward and retracting movement to limit the spreading move ment of the arms 25.

The discharge conveyer 111) includes a pair of multigrooved end pulleys 152, 154 mounted on shafts 153, 155, respectively, which are carried in bearing members 156 supported in a frame unit 157 extended from the machine frame. Spaced endless belts 158 run over the grooved portions of the pulleys at right angles to the longitudinal center line of the machine. The pulley 152 comprises the drive pulley and is fast on its shaft 153. The shaft 153 is arranged to be rotated through connections from the continuously rotated shaft 89, and such connections include bevel gears 160 between the shaft 89 and an intermediate shaft 162 supported in bearings 6 164 attached to the machine frame and a chain and sprocket drive 166 between the shaft 162 and an extended portion of the shaft 153. A belt supporting plate 163, as shown in FIG. 7, may be extended between the frame members 157 for supporting the upper runs of the belts.

Referring now to FIGS. 7 and 8, the elongated angle bars 108 for supporting the filled bag in its advanced position above the spaced belts 158 extend between the belts through openings in the plate 163 and are supported by spaced parallel rods 168 carried by and mounted for rotation in the upper ends of parallel links 170 which in turn are mounted fast on spaced parallel shafts 172 mounted to rock in the frame unit 157. It will be observed that the bars 1% are maintained in spaced relation on their parallel rods 163 by spacers 169 and are retained in their assembled relation by nuts 171. The parallel linkage is arranged to'be rocked through connections from the crank operated levers 78 to maintain the angle supporting bars 108 in an elevated position above the continuously moving belts 158 during the advance of the filled bag onto the angle bars and to rock the linkage downwardly to lower the filled bag onto the continuously moving belts after retraction of the spreader arms from the bag. As herein shown, one of the parallel links comprises a bell crank whose second arms 174 is connected by a rod 176 toan arm 178 fast on a rocker shaft 186 mounted to rock in a bearing member 182 secured to the machine frame. A second arm 184 fast on the shaft is connected by a lost motion friction link 136 and a connecting rod 183 to the crank operated lever 78. A coil spring 187 connected between a spring stud 185 on the rod 176 and a spring stud 189 secured to the frame normally urges the parallel linkage in its upwardly rocked position to present the angle supporting bars 108 elevated above the belts.

In operation when the filled bag is advanced by the spreader arm slide unit 41 to its extended position above the conveyer 110, the angle supporting bars 158 are disposed in their upwardly rocked position, having been moved to such position during the forward movement of the carrier slide unit 51. It will be observed that during such forward movement of the carrier slide unit the frictionally held lost motion link 186 first permits rocking of the parallel linkage from its lowered position to its elevated position by virtue of the spring 187. In this elevated position one arm of the parallel linkage engages a limiting stop 189. During the remainder of'the forward stroke the lost motion link 186 may rotate about its pivotal connection 190. Thereafter, during the initial portion of the retracting stroke of the carrier slide unit 51 the angle bars 108 are retained in their elevated position by the spring 137, and the lost motion link 1556 is again rotated about its pivot point 191) in the opposite direction until the link 186 returns to a position coextensive with the rod 188 near the end of the retracting stroke of the carrier slide unit 51 whereupon the linkage is o erated against the tension of the spring 187 to rock the supporting bars 108 forwardly and downwardly whereby to lower the filled bag onto the continuously moving belts 158, as shown in FIG. 8, to discharge the bag from themachine. The filled bag which is considerably longer than the article contained therein is subsequently delivered to a trimming and sealing machine, which forms no part of the present invention, for trimming the extended portion of the bag and heat sealing the trimmed edges to complete the packaging operation.

From the description thus far it will be seen that in the operation of the packaging machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8 when an article is placed on the carrier a cycle of operation is initiated to start the carrier on its forward stroke and that during such forward stroke the spreader arms are rocked inwardly into the pneumatically opened mouth of the lowermost bag in the magazine to expand and remove the bag from the stack in preparation for receiving the carrier and the article carried thereby. During the continued movement of the carrier the article is inserted in the bag and seated while the spreader arm slide unit remains stationary. It will be apparent that opening of the bag by the spreader arms and insertion of the article into the bag eliects downward withdrawal of the lowermost bag in the stack through the opening in the bottom wall of the magazine. Thereafter, the carrier is started on its retracting stroke, and the spreader arm unit is started on its forward stroke with the arms in their spread condition and supporting the bag. The filled bag is thus advanced to a position above the conveyer 119, and as the carrier approaches the end oi its forward stroke the retaining fingers 124 are rocked downwardly to thereby hold the bag on the supporting bars 1% above the conveyer belts 158 during retraction of the spreader arm unit. Thereafter, as the carrier uuitapproaches the end of its retracting stroke the spreader arms are rocked outwardly, and the parallel linkage isrocked downwardly to lower the filled bag onto the continuously moving belts 158 to discharge the bag from the machine. The cycle is terminated upon opening of the circuit by the cam operated switch 101.

In a slightly modified form of the invention, as more or less diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 9, the spreader arms indicated by the numeral 2% may be considerably shorter in length, and in operation the carrier slide unit 51 is arranged to fully insert the article into the bottom of the bag and to extend the article a short distance beyond the ends of the shortened spreader arms 2%. Thereafter, upon retraction of the carrier slide unit the spreader arm slide unit 41 is advanced to deposit the filled bag onto the supporting bars 108. It will be observed that during the advancing movement the ends of the spreader arms 200 engage the rear edges of the article to push the bag forwardly. At this time the spreader arms Zilt) may be rocked outwardly out of the bag mouth and free of the inner side edges of the bag as indicated by dot and dash lines in FIG. 9 and then retracted to its initial position to leave the bag supported on the bars 108. In this embodiment the cam pieces 42 may be eliminated to permit such rocking inwardly of the spreader arms 2&0 prior to retraction of the spreader arm slide unit 41, and the collars 54 on the link rods 46 may be adjusted to effect the inward rocking movement of the spreader arms prior to retraction thereof as described. Also, in this embodiment of the invention the leaf spring retaining fingers 124 may be eliminated since the bag is free of the spreader arms during retraction of the arms although in some instances it may be found of advantage to continue the use of the retaining fingers to positively maintain the filled bag in its advanced position.

In another modified form of the invention, as illustrated in FIG. 10, provision is made for continuing the movement of the carrier to strip the bag from the spreader arms and to advance the bag onto the supporting bars 193 above the conveyer 110. As herein shown, in this embodiment of the invention the spreader arm slide unit and its operating cam are eliminated, and opposed spreader arm uni-ts indicated by the numeral 3% are supported for rocking movement in brackets 302. mounted on the machine frame. The spreader arm units may be rocked in Wardly and outwardly by the link rod connections 46 upon movement of the carrier slide unit 51 as previously described. The carrier indicated at 304 includes an elongated plate 306 secured to and extended from the underside of a pair of spaced gibs mounted to slide on a longitudinally extended bar 31! which is attached to the angle bracket 63 of the slide unit 51.. The forward end of the bar 310 is provided with a forwardly extended right angle pusher member 312 under which the rear edge of the article to be packaged is inserted. A pair of spaced right angle brackets 314 secured to and depending from the underside of the carrier plate 3% adjacent the rear edge threof are arranged to cooperate with spaced collars 316, 317 adjustably secured to spaced longitudinally extended rods 318 supported in the machine frame. The brackets 314 are provided with slotted openings 320 for sliding movement on the rods 318. The gibs 308 are pro vided with friction strips 322, such as strips of leather, between retaining plates 324 and the upper surface of the marginal edges of the carrier supporting bar 310 as shown in FIG. 12.

In operation an inserting cycle may be initiated by placing an article to be packaged onto the forward end of the carrier plate 306 and engaging the starting switch as previously described. During the initial forward movement of the carrier unit the carrier plate 306 travels with the carrier bar 310 as a unit. At this time release of the link rods 46 will effect rocking of the spreader arms 25 into the pneumatically opened mouth of the lowermost bag in the stack by virtue of the springs 58. During the continued advance of the carrier unit the article is inserted into the bag which is retained in its open and expanded position by the spreader arms 25. When the article is fully seated in the bag further movement of the carrier unit will bring the carrier plate brackets 314 against the collars 317 to terminate further movement of the carrier plate 3% while permitting the bar 310 and its pusher member 312 to continue its stroke to strip the bag oil the spreader arms and to advance the bag to a position above the conveyer on the parallel supporting bars 108. Thereafter upon retraction of the carrier unit, the spreader arms are returned to their initial position, and the frictionally held carrier plate 306 will travel along with the bar 310 until the brackets 314 engage the collars 316 on the return stroke whereupon the retracting movement of the carrier plate 306 will be terminated While the carrier bar 310 completes its return stroke, thus returning the carrier plate in its initial position relative to the bar.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a packaging machine, in combination, a magazine having an opening in the bottom wall thereof for supporting a stack of flat envelope type bags having extended flap portions with the flap portions uppermost to expose the opposing edge of the lowermost bag through said opening, means for directing a stream of air against said exposed edge to effect opening of the bag, a pair of opposed bag spreader arms and means for rocking the arms into the bag into engagement with the inner longitudinal side edges of the bag to thereby expand the walls of the bag and effect withdrawal of the lowermost bag through said opening preparatory to insertion of an article into the expanded bag, a reciprocable carrier movable into the bag between said arms to insert an article into the bag while supported by the spreader arms, a discharge conveyer, and means for reciprocating said spreader arms to deposit the filled bag onto the conveyer during withdrawal of the carrier.

2. A packaging machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for rocking the spreader arms includes means operatively connected to said reciprocable carrier, said spreader arms being retracted longitudindally prior to being rocked out of the bag, and means for retaining the filled bag on the conveyer during said retraction of the spreader arms.

3. A packaging machine as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for rocking the spreader arms includes means operatively connected to said reciprocable carrier and wherein the carrier is movable to insert the article into the bag beyond the ends of the arms, said spreader arms being rocked out of the bag prior to retraction thereof.

4. In a packaging machine, in combination, means for supporting a flat envelope type bag having an openable mouth portion with one edge of its mouth portion ex posed, means for separating said exposed edge from the opposing edge to effect opening of the mouth, bag

spreading means insertable into the open mouth and engageable with the longitudinal edges of the flat bag for expanding the bag, reciprocable means arranged to insert an article into the bag while the latter is supported by said spreading means, and a discharge conveyer for receiving the filled bag, said spreading means being also mounted for reciprocable movement to effect advance of the filled bag onto said discharge conveyer.

5. In a packaging machine, in combination, means for supporting a flat envelope type bag having an openable mouth portion with one edge of its mouth portion exposed, means for separating said exposed edge from the opposing edge to effect opening of the mouth, bag spreading means insertable into the open mouth and engageable with the longitudinal edges of the flat bag for expanding the bag, reciprocable means arranged to insert an article into the bag while the latter is supported by said spreading means, a discharge conveyer for receiving the filled bag, said bag spreading means including opposed spreader arms mounted to rock into and out of the bag, said spreader arms being also mounted for reciprocable movement to efiect advance of the filled bag onto said discharge conveyer.

6. In a packaging machine, in combination, means for supporting a flat envelope type bag having an openable mouth portion with one edge of its mouth portion exposed, means for separating said exposed edge from the opposing edge to effect opening of the mouth, bag spreading means insertable into the open mouth and engageable with the longitudinal edges of the flat bag for expanding the bag, reciprocable means arranged to insert an article into the bag while the latter is supported by said spreading means, a discharge conveyer for receiving the filled bag, said bag spreading means including opposed spreader arms mounted to rock into and out of the bag, said spreader arms being also mounted for reciprocable movement to effect advance of the filled bag onto said discharge conveyer, and means for supporting the advanced bag above the conveyer during retraction and withdrawal of said spreader arms, said bag supporting means being movable to thereafter lower the bag onto said conveyer.

7. In a packaging machine, in combination, means for supporting a flat envelope type bag having an openable mouth portion with one edge of its mouth portion exposed, means for separating said exposed edge from the opposing edge to effect opening of the mouth, bag spreading means insertable into the open mouth and engageable with the longitudinal edges of the fiat bag for expanding the bag, reciprocable means arranged to insert an article into the bag while the latter is supported by said spreading means, a discharge conveyer for receiving the filled bag, said bag spreading means including opposed spreader arms mounted to rock into and out of the bag, said spreader arms being also mounted for reciprocable movement to effect advance of the filled bag onto said discharge conveyer, means for supporting the advanced bag above the conveyer during retraction and withdrawal of said spreader arms, said bag supporting means being movable to thereafter lower the bag onto said conveyer, and means for retaining the filled bag on said supporting means during said retraction and withdrawal of the spreader arms.

8. In a packaging machine, in combination, means for supporting a fiat envelope type bag having an openable mouth portion with one edge of its mouth portion exposed, means for separating said exposed edge from the opposing edge to effect opening of the mouth, bag spreading means insertable into the open mouth and engageable with the longitudinal edges of the flat bag for expanding the bag, reciprocable means arranged to insert an article into the bag while the latter is supported by said spreading means, a discharge conveyer for receiving the filled bag, said bag spreading means including opposed spreader arms mounted to rock into and out of the bag, said spreader arms bein also mounted for reciprocable movement to effect advance of the filled bag onto said discharge conveyer, and means for supporting the advanced bag above the conveyer during retraction and withdrawal of said spreader arms, said bag supporting means being movable to thereafter lower the bag onto said conveyer, said spreader arms being retracted prior to outward rocking of the same.

9. In a packaging machine, in combination, means for supporting a flat envelope type bag having an openable mouth portion with one edge of its mouth portion exposed, means for separating said exposed edge from the oppos ing edge to effect opening of the mouth, bag spreading means insertable into the open mouth and engageable with the longitudinal edges of the flat bag for expanding the bag, reciprocable means arranged to insert an article into the bag while the latter is supported by said spreading means, a discharge conveyer for receiving the filled bag, said bag spreading means including opposed spreader arms mounted to rock into and out of the bag, said spreader arms being also mounted for reciprocable movement to effect advance of the filled bag onto said discharge conveyer, and means for supporting the advanced bag above the conveyor during retraction and withdrawal of said spreader arms, said bag supporting means being movable to thereafter lower the bag onto said conveyer, said spreader arms being rocked out of the bag prior to retraction thereof.

10. In a packaging machine, in combination, a magazine for supporting a flat envelope type bag, said bag having one edge of its mouth portion exposed, means for directing a stream of air against said exposed edge to effect partial opening of the mouth, a pair of pivotally mounted opposed bag spreader arms, means for rocking said arms into the partially open mouth and into engagement with the longitudinal edges of the flat bag for expanding the bag and effecting withdrawal of the bag from the magazine, said spreading arms forming a guide for receiving an article to be inserted into the bag, a reciprocable carrier movable into the bag between said arms to insert the article into the bag while supported by the spreader arms, a support, and means for reciprocating said spreader arms to deposit the filled bag onto the support during withdrawal of the carrier.

11. In a packaging machine, in combination, a magazine for supporting a flat envelope type bag, said bag having one edge of its mouth portion exposed, means for directing a stream of air against said exposed edge to effect partial opening of the mouth, a pair of pivotally mounted opposed bag spreader arms, means for rocking said arms into the partially open mouth and into engagement with the longitudinal side edges of the fiat bag for expanding the bag and eifecting withdrawal of the bag from the magazine, said spreader arms forming a guide for receiving an article to be inserted into the bag, a reciprocable carrier movable into the bag between said arms to insert the article into the bag while the latter is supported on said spreader arms, and a bag support remote from said bag opening means, said carrier continuing its movement to strip the bag from the spreader arms and to deposit the bag on said support before coming to rest.

12. In a packaging machine, in combination, means for opening a bag including a pair of opposed spreader arms, longitudinally reciprocable means for inserting an article into the bag while supported on said opening means, a continuously moving discharge conveyer, said longitudinally reciprocable means continuing its movement to advance the filled bag from said opening means into operative relation to said conveyer, and means associated with said conveyer for supporting the filled bag in a stationary position above said conveyer during retraction of said inserting and advancing means and to thereafter lower the bag onto said continuously moving conveyer.

13. A packaging machine as defined in claim 12 wherein the conveyer comprises a plurality of spaced endless belts, and wherein the supporting means includes parallel linkage ba rs movable between the belts to positions above and below the. belts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 12 I Baker May 14, 1935 Shafer June 30, 1936 Bayer et a1. Dec. 7, 1943 Jorgenson Mar. 30, 1954 Conrad Jan. 24, 1956 Ardell et a1 Sept. 16, 1958 McIntyre et a1 Sept. 16, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Nov. 27, 1936 

11. IN A PACKAGING MACHINE, IN COMBINATION, A MAGAZINE FOR SUPPORTING A FLAT ENVELOPE TYPE BAG, SAID BAG HAVING ONE EDGE OF ITS MOUTH PORTION EXPOSED, MEANS FOR DIRECTING A STREAM OF AIR AGAINST SAID EXPOSED EDGE TO EFFECT PARTIAL OPENING OF THE MOUTH, A PAIR OF PIVOTALLY MOUNTED OPPOSED BAG SPREADER ARMS, MEANS FOR ROCKING SAID ARMS INTO THE PARTIALLY OPEN MOUTH AND INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE LONGITUDINAL SIDE EDGE OF THE FLAT BAG FOR EXPANDING THE BAG AND EFFECTING WITHDRAWAL OF THE BAG FROM THE MAGAZINE, SAID SPREADER ARMS FORMING A GUIDE FOR RECEIVING AN ARTICLE TO BE INSERTED INTO THE BAG, A RECIPROCABLE CARRIER MOVABLE INTO THE BAG BETWEEN SAID ARMS TO INSERT THE ARTICLE INTO THE BAG WHILE THE LATTER IS SUPPORTED ON SAID SPREADER ARMS, AND A BAG SUPPORT REMOTE FROM SAID BAG OPENING MEANS, SAID CARRIER CONTINUING ITS MOVEMENT TO STRIP THE BAG FROM THE SPREADER ARMS AND TO DEPOSIT THE BAG ON SAID SUPPORT BEFORE COMING TO REST. 